Three great plants to brighten your views without demanding time, effort or the sunniest spot in your garden.
Some people seem to be born with green fingers and the energy to get out in the back garden for a few hours every day to tend and prune and hoe, but most of us aren’t. We might yearn to have a garden Alan Titchmarsh would be proud of, but time, energy, poor soil, too much shade or an attack of slugs always seem to frustrate our best intentions.
For those of us just happy to look out and enjoy a patch of colour in spring and something green and leafy in winter, here are five great no-care, grow anywhere plants.
Lavender
Clouds of purple lavender bring a country appeal to any garden or patio and the distinctive scent is a joy. Plus bees love it so you’re doing your bit for nature by planting it.
Although when you first plant lavender you might need to make sure it’s watered fairly regularly, once it’s established, lavender is pretty good at taking care of itself even during periods of limited rainfall. Its woody stem keeps it fairly sturdy and its shape looks naturally good when growing ‘wild’ but is quite easy to prune back if you prefer.
Most British soil types suit lavender but make sure it doesn’t sit in soggy soil that doesn’t drain well. It should also spread quite easily meaning you don’t have to spend time planting other flowers near it to fill your flowerbeds.
Opt for Lavender angustifolia (also known as ‘English’ lavender) which has pretty purple flowers and thrives well without much tending, even if the weather turns cold.
Geranium
As with so many flowers, there are several different kinds of geranium and most are easy to keep. Native to several corners of the world, they are happy in temperate climates that don’t stay too hot for prolonged periods. They don’t need premium spots in the sunniest part of the garden, and they like soil that isn’t too wet or too dry – so in the British Isles our changeable seasons should be fairly safe!
The regal geranium with large green leaves and vibrant pretty flowers is probably what most people would call a geranium and so long as the temperature doesn’t get too high, they are happy to flower for a prolonged period through the late spring and summer.
Geraniums are fairly free from suffering with insects, though whitefly can be a bother. However, this is a plant that looks good without much care; it has a woody stem so it’s fairly sturdy against wind and rain. If your garden suffers badly from frost you might want to take them in during the coldest months (keep them planted in pots outside so they’re easy to move) but even geraniums left to fend for themselves might well surprise you if the cold spell doesn’t last too long.
Primrose
The primrose (Primula vulgaris) is a perennial plant that doesn’t grow tall but looks pretty and is native to this part of Europe, which reassuringly means it’ll happily put up with our climate.
It flowers from March to May which means you’ll get a burst of early colour before anything else comes to life (possibly earlier if the winter turns mild). It enjoys partial shade and also likes moist soil so there might be the need for the occasional watering during extended dry periods.
However, the fact that the beautiful wild variety can spring up by roadsides and deserted woodlands proves how resilient this dainty-looking plant really can be.
A good easy-care alternative that also cheers up any bare-looking garden early in the year is the daffodil.